Given that I fly out on January 26, and I will need a 59 day visa from the London embassy. When do you guys think I should apply? Is December a little too soon? Perhaps I should apply early January? How long have you guys given it?
I applied in Nov 2005 for a visa for December 2005 but I turned up in person and made the point that I lived far away and could not return later in the week to pick it up after it had been processed. I also made a point of turning up in a suit to show respect for the embassy, that was when they were in the old buildings down at the south west of Hyde Park, I find it best to dress when turning up at any Philippine government establishment either in the Phils or in the UK, and I hate being in a suit I got the visa about 4 weeks before I was due to travel, same procedure the second time and same time-scales when I got a 12 month multi visit visa.
It is cutting it fine if there are any issues, but very unlikely you will have any issues Sean. I have always been nervous about posting my passport so "in person" always seemed best, posted is probably 4 week turn around 6 weeks to be safe. Getting a replacement passport at short notice is not fun, I had to do it December 2008 when I got refused boarding for my flight at Glasgow because I only had 4 months left on it.
I personaly would never bother its easy to arrange the extension in country you can even sort it on arrival in Manila or Cebu
First time I got the visa, I asked the embasssy in london if I could do it in country and they said no, so I took them at their word, but you are right Keith, saying that the trek to Intramuros in Manila is a pain and the office is permanently packed, the uk Philippine embassy is pretty quiet, or at least it was when I was there.
